1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph. The Normal Heart depicts the initial outbreak of AIDs in New York over the span of years between the July of 1981 and May of 1984. More specifically, the play follows the struggles and ventures of Ned, Felix, Mickey, Tommy, Bruce, and Dr. Brookner as they fight against the onslaught of illness and deaths brought about by this disease.
2. What is the intrusion? The intrusion of the play occurs when Felix shows Ned the spot on his foot at the end of Act 1. This shifts the plot to a more personal perspective, for Ned; It’s not just acquaintances that are dying anymore, it is now happening to the love of his life. Essentially, this point during the play heightens Ned’s desperation, fear, and anger, fueling him to take extreme actions. His extreme tactics lead to his removal from the board and the resulting powerlessness and hopelessness that spur Felix into action. Felix contacts Ben- Ned’s temporarily estranged brother and a lawyer- and makes a will. Ultimately, Felix’s death is what brings the two brothers back together at the end of the play.
3. What is the unique factor? This is the day that Ned goes to see Dr. Emma/ this is the period in which AIDs breaks out in New York.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play? Essentially, throughout the play, the audience questions whether or not they get the support (social, medical, financial, etc.) that they need in this time of crisis. The more overarching question(s): what will become of the gay community? By the end of the play, it becomes clear that while the drastic and progressive support that Ned fights for over the years is not an immediate reality, the world does begin to move into sluggish action. Essentially, although devastatingly and unforgivably late to the game, society finally turns its attention to the gay community’s crisis and slow progress begins to play out. We see this on a small scale, especially in the healing and evolution of Ned and Ben’s relationship. Just as the brothers overcame their differences and judgments of one another over Felix’s death, families and friends around the world overcame their prejudices in the face of their own son’s, brother’s, friend’s deaths. Overall, by the final scene, the audience receives an answer, both with melancholy and with hope, progress is coming slowly but surely.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it. An example of Type 1 exposition (information that everybody knows) is that the initial (and central) characters are gay and that AIDs is breaking out in their community. Several examples of Type 2 exposition (information that one or few of the characters know) occur 1.) when Felix reveals that he and Ned had met a long time ago, 2.) when Felix shows Ned the spot on his foot (revealing that he now has AIDs, and 3.) when Bruce announces that his lover, Albert, died of AIDs a week prior.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be. In my opinion, the most theatrical moment of the play is during scene 12, when Dr. Emma begins throwing her paper and files during her argument with the examining doctor. This scenes theatricality comes from the aggressive tossing and flying of papers, but from Dr. Emma’s singularity on the stage with a spotlight on her. Ultimately, this scene is where she finally gets to say her piece and where she decides to cross the line from professional to political, unleashing her desperation for medical help and her anger with the medical world’s reluctance to help. Although Emma does speak out at other points in the play, her argument with the examining doctor allows the playwright to voice the medical field’s flaws and horrendous neglect of the gay community’s crisis.
7. List some of the themes of the play. Some themes in The Normal Heart are: prejudice and discrimination against the gay community; unification in times of crisis; the emotional tolls, devastation, hysteria, and paranoia of an epidemic; the identity of the gay community; willful ignorance; the struggle against political obstacles; the power of death to heal broken relationships and incur forgiveness.
8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants? Ned faces many obstacles along his journey to ignite supportive action and progressive aid in combating the AIDs epidemic: the conventions/ prejudices of society/politics, the opposing views/actions of fellow members of the gay community, and the negative side effects of his passion. Throughout the play, Ned struggles against the reluctant politicians and media reporters to raise awareness and convey the seriousness of this disease (Ned against society). These individuals in positions of power, some of who are closeted gays, refuse to aid Ned (and the gay community as a whole) because they are scared to go against the homophobic, societal conventions of this time period. At this point, even those who are members of the gay community refuse to help their own friends due to the looming threat of losing their positions of power (because discrimination based on sexual identity was not illegal at this point). Essentially, Ned fights against the strong, prejudiced standards of society, as well as against those who are held captive by it, in order to raise awareness and funding to help in the fight against AIDs. Ned’s struggle continues even amongst the board members of the organization he founded to combat the epidemic (Ned against other individuals). Throughout the play, Ned is repeatedly faced with arguments and opinions that oppose his open, aggressive, ferocious courses of actions. In pursuit of his goal of immediate support and drastic social progression, Ned’s actions entirely ignore graceful social/political tactics and society’s perception of the gay community. Whereas the rest of the board members are highly aware or these and hope to achieve their less effective goals whilst abiding by them. Ultimately, Ned’s one-track mission is de-railed and the committee removes him from the board. His removal from the board also reveals another obstacle that Ned is hindered by: the side effects of his passion. Essentially, with no regard for the delicacy of social images and political tactics, Ned’s passionate anger goes unbridled- with nothing to stop him from up-turning every stone, socially acceptable or not. Ultimately, his passionate fight, his strength, becomes his downfall as it leaves him with no means (power, social standing, political stature, etc.) to achieve his goal.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play. One of the major images in The Normal Heart are the lesions that speckle the AIDs victims. Not only do these spots become the mark of death, they also mark the members of the gay community; similar to the way stars marked the Jews during the Holocaust, clearly denoting them as modern lepers, as people who are to be avoided. These spots also hit a note of irony that rings throughout the play: despite how visible and unavoidable these markings were, this disease went ignored for so long, highlighting the willfulness and intentionality of society’s “ignorance”.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play. In The Normal Heart, the term ‘family’ extends to encompass the entire gay community. Family is a unit of people who are all bound together by their communal goal: acceptance, freedom to love who they wish, and freedom from judgment, discrimination, and prejudices.
The Normal Heart depicts the initial outbreak of AIDs in New York over the span of years between the July of 1981 and May of 1984. More specifically, the play follows the struggles and ventures of Ned, Felix, Mickey, Tommy, Bruce, and Dr. Brookner as they fight against the onslaught of illness and deaths brought about by this disease.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion of the play occurs when Felix shows Ned the spot on his foot at the end of Act 1. This shifts the plot to a more personal perspective, for Ned; It’s not just acquaintances that are dying anymore, it is now happening to the love of his life. Essentially, this point during the play heightens Ned’s desperation, fear, and anger, fueling him to take extreme actions. His extreme tactics lead to his removal from the board and the resulting powerlessness and hopelessness that spur Felix into action. Felix contacts Ben- Ned’s temporarily estranged brother and a lawyer- and makes a will. Ultimately, Felix’s death is what brings the two brothers back together at the end of the play.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day that Ned goes to see Dr. Emma/ this is the period in which AIDs breaks out in New York.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Essentially, throughout the play, the audience questions whether or not they get the support (social, medical, financial, etc.) that they need in this time of crisis. The more overarching question(s): what will become of the gay community? By the end of the play, it becomes clear that while the drastic and progressive support that Ned fights for over the years is not an immediate reality, the world does begin to move into sluggish action. Essentially, although devastatingly and unforgivably late to the game, society finally turns its attention to the gay community’s crisis and slow progress begins to play out. We see this on a small scale, especially in the healing and evolution of Ned and Ben’s relationship. Just as the brothers overcame their differences and judgments of one another over Felix’s death, families and friends around the world overcame their prejudices in the face of their own son’s, brother’s, friend’s deaths. Overall, by the final scene, the audience receives an answer, both with melancholy and with hope, progress is coming slowly but surely.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
An example of Type 1 exposition (information that everybody knows) is that the initial (and central) characters are gay and that AIDs is breaking out in their community.
Several examples of Type 2 exposition (information that one or few of the characters know) occur 1.) when Felix reveals that he and Ned had met a long time ago, 2.) when Felix shows Ned the spot on his foot (revealing that he now has AIDs, and 3.) when Bruce announces that his lover, Albert, died of AIDs a week prior.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
In my opinion, the most theatrical moment of the play is during scene 12, when Dr. Emma begins throwing her paper and files during her argument with the examining doctor. This scenes theatricality comes from the aggressive tossing and flying of papers, but from Dr. Emma’s singularity on the stage with a spotlight on her. Ultimately, this scene is where she finally gets to say her piece and where she decides to cross the line from professional to political, unleashing her desperation for medical help and her anger with the medical world’s reluctance to help. Although Emma does speak out at other points in the play, her argument with the examining doctor allows the playwright to voice the medical field’s flaws and horrendous neglect of the gay community’s crisis.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some themes in The Normal Heart are: prejudice and discrimination against the gay community; unification in times of crisis; the emotional tolls, devastation, hysteria, and paranoia of an epidemic; the identity of the gay community; willful ignorance; the struggle against political obstacles; the power of death to heal broken relationships and incur forgiveness.
8. What does Ned want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of his getting what he wants?
Ned faces many obstacles along his journey to ignite supportive action and progressive aid in combating the AIDs epidemic: the conventions/ prejudices of society/politics, the opposing views/actions of fellow members of the gay community, and the negative side effects of his passion.
Throughout the play, Ned struggles against the reluctant politicians and media reporters to raise awareness and convey the seriousness of this disease (Ned against society). These individuals in positions of power, some of who are closeted gays, refuse to aid Ned (and the gay community as a whole) because they are scared to go against the homophobic, societal conventions of this time period. At this point, even those who are members of the gay community refuse to help their own friends due to the looming threat of losing their positions of power (because discrimination based on sexual identity was not illegal at this point). Essentially, Ned fights against the strong, prejudiced standards of society, as well as against those who are held captive by it, in order to raise awareness and funding to help in the fight against AIDs.
Ned’s struggle continues even amongst the board members of the organization he founded to combat the epidemic (Ned against other individuals). Throughout the play, Ned is repeatedly faced with arguments and opinions that oppose his open, aggressive, ferocious courses of actions. In pursuit of his goal of immediate support and drastic social progression, Ned’s actions entirely ignore graceful social/political tactics and society’s perception of the gay community. Whereas the rest of the board members are highly aware or these and hope to achieve their less effective goals whilst abiding by them. Ultimately, Ned’s one-track mission is de-railed and the committee removes him from the board.
His removal from the board also reveals another obstacle that Ned is hindered by: the side effects of his passion. Essentially, with no regard for the delicacy of social images and political tactics, Ned’s passionate anger goes unbridled- with nothing to stop him from up-turning every stone, socially acceptable or not. Ultimately, his passionate fight, his strength, becomes his downfall as it leaves him with no means (power, social standing, political stature, etc.) to achieve his goal.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
One of the major images in The Normal Heart are the lesions that speckle the AIDs victims. Not only do these spots become the mark of death, they also mark the members of the gay community; similar to the way stars marked the Jews during the Holocaust, clearly denoting them as modern lepers, as people who are to be avoided. These spots also hit a note of irony that rings throughout the play: despite how visible and unavoidable these markings were, this disease went ignored for so long, highlighting the willfulness and intentionality of society’s “ignorance”.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
In The Normal Heart, the term ‘family’ extends to encompass the entire gay community. Family is a unit of people who are all bound together by their communal goal: acceptance, freedom to love who they wish, and freedom from judgment, discrimination, and prejudices.